Hmmmmm...Bit of a Sore Topic This one!

Hi All,

Well People I 've Finally understood why people like "Sheerwater" no longer own a Volvo. I'll be joining him soon, when the Ol Girl Snuffs it, I won't be buying another!! Much as I enjoy the V6 and roaring about in her, I won't do it again....Here's why...

In May this year I ordered new engine Mounts for my fathers 440. One of which was a special order, Now there is a handling charge if the parts are returned undamaged. (Mine were still in their wrappers!!)

Due to unforseen circumstances, the decision was taken to buy a new car, therefore making the parts redundant. I tried this week to return the parts c/w receipt as proof of purchase, only to be told that I could take them and "Shove them...." as no refund would be given. The parts totalled £200. I asked for a better explanation, only to be told that the Garage that supplied them, doesn't need to take back unwanted goods! I was then told that this is also the attitude of Volvo UK. Naaawwwwww!!! Can't be, Can it???

Guess again!!! A quick call to Volvo UK and Alex (Female) tells me that the dealership that sold them is well within their rights to refuse a refund. What???? A handling charge maybe, but to refuse total responsibility is a bit over the top!!! Worse was to come, I then pointed out the amount of business that Volvo must loose with this style of response, Answer: So??? It's Sweden that's set the rules, nothing to do with the UK, therefore we still can't refund them. I then pointed out that I'd notify VOC and........ "Oh they are already aware of the situation and should have notified you , If ...You're a member that is!" Eh???? Now wait a minute here...Just why, would VOC know this afterall, there is a disclaimer that VOC has no affiliation to VOLVO UK, other than it's a group of like minded people who appreciate the Volvo Model of car, So "How WOULD the VOC know this?? This just gets better and better! Upshot of it all is, that I've spent £200 only to be left with to CRAPPIE Engine mounts and no refund. "Tough Tittie" you may say, But it STINKS!! I wouldn't have minded even a 30% handling charge, but not to even accept them??

I'm afraid chappies n' Chapesses it's "BUYER BEWARE" Be ABSOLUTELY SURE that you want the part, otherwise Y've 'Ad it!!!

And their Customer care STINKS!!! It's of no great surprise that people wander away to other marques of vehicle with a response like "Shove them ....."

Definitely an Unhappy Bunnie x( x( x(

So I won't be buying another Volvo ( I've had four in my lifetime)

Sorrrrrrrryyyyyyy For my Rantings, but it felt good!!!:-)

Regards
OGB

Dave M

[Bob]

Leave this with me for a while.....

Cant see what the problem is.. Why bother looking after your regular customers when you employ hundreds of people in Marketing to attract new ones? - this seems to be the attitude of many businesses these days.

If your car is older than four, your not important, you might have spent the last 15 years buying genuine Volvo oil filters, but the fact that you dont spend £25K on a new car every three years means your unimportant.

As a result I dont have any loyalty to any brand, if the product is good I'll buy it, I wont buy it because it has a badge with Volvo on it, but I will buy it if its built well.

So Dave, I agree with you, and what a sorry state it is when business is conducted in such a manner.

Tim

There is no question that the service from Volvo and their dealers has deteriorated drastically over the years.

If I ran my business and treated my customers the way the local dealer does I would expect to go out of business very quickly.

Tim hit the nail on the head, it's easier to flog a new car once than to look after the existing clients whose annual spend is relatively small (if you can call annual servicing costs small), there will always be somebody along to buy a new or secondhand car which is where the money is to be made.

I've bought volvo cars, both brand new and secondhand, for the last 20 years, both personally and for business. I've never been able to buy from the same dealer because they keep closing and my nearest dealer is now 20+ miles away and has adopted the "we don't care about you" system we continually talk about.

I suspect the current one will be the last. There are too many other choices in town to choose from. Most are just as good to drive, offer better value, and from the discussions I have had with them seem to be keener on looking after the customer.

Sad for Volvo but thats the way it is.

Mike
Volvo V40 T4 SE Auto

[migrator]

I must be numbered among the lucky ones then.

I have been using the same dealership for over twenty years now. I have never bought a new car from them but I have made four used car purchases in that time.

Most of the servicing and repair work is done by them (presently on three cars). I and my wife are both 'people' to them, not just car numbers. Common curtesy such as 'How are you both? / How are the boys? / How was the journey?'. It is about 400 miles round trip to visit them. Always a free loan car while mine is in dock. Loyalty discount when appropriate. Work done always discussed and any dubious bits always shown. Safety issues always undertaken when found. No unnecessary works carried out. European touring kits available (only parts used are charged plus a small hire charge).

People think that I am daft going that sort of distance but it is down to trust and quality of work and service. Yes - we have had 'discussions' but all have been sorted amicably.

Who are they? Arnold Clark Volvo in Inverness (formerly Autosales of Inverness) and long may they continue. (No I don't get anything for references.)

Hmmmm Dave,

your ranting sounds familiar. Heard similar horrorstories here in the Netherlands. Fortunately I use an independant workshop :)

levensnevel

a smile every mile

[Peter Milnes]

All right Migrator, I'll buy it, what's with the "state of NAAFI"? I am used to the Navy Army Airforce Families Institution, but you have got me puzzled.

All the best, Peter

[migrator]

Peter,

No Aims, Ambitions or Further Interest.

Comes from my old TA days when we (The Jocks) just switched off, got things done and let the rest moan on.

There are substitutes for the 'Further' part, just depending on the degree of 'switchedoffness'. Nothing nasty intended here however.

On reflection I realise that this description implies that I get switched off each time that I respond to any issue - perhaps a different signature would be more appropriate. Ah well, back to the drawing board ...

Further to Migrators tale of good service, the good guy's are out there. My local dealer is Cambridge Volvo at Havant, and the service I get from them is 1st class at reasonable rates, I get 10% off all my bills being a VOC member. Every time my car is serviced, I'm asked to fill in a customer satisfaction appraisal, no company in their right mind is going to ask for that, if they are not 100% commited to customer satisfaction. Well done Cambridge Volvo.
It would be nice to see a few more threads with other satisfied customers, rather than doom and gloom comments.
Dave
V70R AWD

My local Volvo dealer is brilliant. He has no problme wirth me returning unwanted goods. At any rate, it is not Volvo Personvagnar AB's polkicy to do this, that is bulls**t. Also, why judge a car on the dealer? Do you like the car? Why even use a dealer?

George

[link:www.ttsservices.co.uk/my%20volvos.htm|http://www.ttsservices.co.uk/My%20car.JPG]

'95 940 Polar LPT (B230FK/AW71; 120k)
'92 940 SE Turbo (B200FT/M46; 143k)
'87 740 GLE Turbo Diesel Intercooler (D24TIC/ZF22; 200k)